Description

The Nomad has been an integral part of the Santa Cruz line up for long enough to qualify as a modern classic, and the Nomad Carbon X01 AM complete mountain bike is just the latest in the storied lineage. Naturally, you get the nearly-indestructible carbon fiber Nomad frame, and it's built up with FOX suspension and SRAM's new X01 build kit, for a wide gear range and a simplified 1x11 drivetrain. Rounded out with a hand built wheelset comprised of DT hubs laced to WTB tubeless compatible rims, and a RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper seatpost, you'll be ready to take on anything the mountain throws your way.

Santa Cruz's industry-leading carbon fiber construction is already legendary on the Nomad. Both the front and rear triangles are constructed as a whole, rather than bonding them together from sub-assemblies. This method of construction saves weight, but more importantly, it makes the Nomad as strong as possible. That's because the fibers are uninterrupted by seams, which happens with other construction methods. If you were to cut it in half, you'd find that the inside of the tubes have the same perfectly smooth finish as the outside. That's a result of construction techniques that maximize the compaction of the layers. The benefit is that it's lighter, because any excess epoxy is squeezed from the frame prior to curing, and this ideal degree of compaction makes the frame pretty much bulletproof. In other words, it's about a pound and a half lighter than the aluminum version, and there's been more than enough laboratory testing to prove that the carbon version is much stronger as well.

While the Nomad is undoubtedly optimized for going big and handling aggressive terrain, pedaling efficiency is still a top priority. And with the latest version of VPP handling the terrain, that's not an issue. It uses two counter-rotating links to achieve an optimal balance of firm pedaling and a smooth ride. Basically, the beginning stroke is controlled by the upper link, which starts the stroke in a high-leverage position for a supple ride over stutter bumps. As the suspension settles into the sag point, the lower link takes over control of the suspension, enabling the rear wheel to travel backwards, out of the way of impacts. The upshot to all of this is when the suspension is sitting at the sag point, it harnesses your pedaling forces to neutralize suspension movement, giving you a firm, efficient feel at the pedals. So, whether you're cranking out laps at the bike park, or hammering up a steep climb, your suspension works with you, not against you. And you'll find the same collet-style pivot hardware that has become standard across Santa Cruz's line up. That means that your pivots stay tight and are simple to service, even for home mechanics.

27.5-inch wheels have generated tons of attention as of late, the Nomad stays true to its 26 inch roots, proving that the traditional wheel size is still ideal for aggressive riding. The chainstays are 17.4 inches long, which yields tons of high speed stability. That stability is further improved with the 67 degree head angle, which remains neutral at high speeds, without being cumbersome when the trail gets twisty. Plus, the cockpit is roomy, for use with a short stem and wide handlebars. Whether you're racing Enduro, riding DH, or just crushing miles on varied terrain, the Nomad won't hold you back.

As the name implies, the X01 AM build features SRAM's 11-speed X01 groupset. By using a massive 10-42 cassette, you're able to get a gearing range that's similar to a traditional double chainring drivetrain, and you save the weight and complexity of a front shifter and derailleur. The concept has been proven at the highest levels of competition via SRAM's XX1 groupset, so the reliability and functionality leave nothing to be desired. Suspension duties are handled by FOX units front and back, in the form of a 34 TALAS fork, and a FLOAT CTD evolution rear shock. The fork employs FOX's FIT sealed damper for consistent performance on long descents, and the none-more-gold Kashima coating, in addition to travel adjust. The TALAS spring allows you to lower the fork to 110mm of travel for more responsive climbing, and lengthen it to the full 150mm of travel for descending. Speaking of which, Shimano's venerable XT brakes handle stopping duties. You'll find an Easton Havoc alloy handlebar and Truvativ AKA stem handling the steering, and the staff favorite RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post puts control of your saddle height at your fingertips. Rounding out the build kit is a hand built wheelset comprised of DT's legendary 350 hubs laced with DT spokes to WTB i23 tubeless compatible rims. They're wrapped in Maxxis High Roller II tires, which have developed a loyal following for their fast rolling and incredible grip across a broad range of trail conditions.

The Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon X01 AM Complete Mountain Bike is available in four sizes from Small to X-Large, and in the colors Gloss Lime Green, and Matte Black/blue.

Can you get this bike in an XT or X9 build...

This bike is coming to us direct from Santa Cruz so we are not able to do an XT build for you. If you are interested in that build we can do a special order for you. If you have any more questions about this please contact me directly.